Pretty faces, porcelain skin.
Be who you must and throw away
Everything you're
Not.
.
"Mitchell, stop fussing. Honestly? She won't care if you gel your hair. You look just as bad with."
(You're fine, hon. The only thing you haven't got is confidence.)
"Oh my gods, Lacy. Get out of that shirt. Peace signs were never in. You look hideous. And stop biting your nails!"
(Don't be what they want you to be, Lace. I know you don't like that shirt anymore than I do.)
"Piper! Look who's here, Dumpster Queen. Come here-oh my gods, your hair's actually tame. It's all for Jason, right?"
(Jason's cheating on you, Pipes. You won't believe me-I won't tell you. You're too nice for him.)
.
Blades of steel and drops of blood
Were always most beautiful.
Weapons don't smile-lure
Then kill.
.
(He was so faithful to leave you.)
.
"What are you guys doing? Can I join in?"
"What can you do? We're trying to build a ship, for gods sakes, Mitchell. Go back and play with your cologne."
"You know, if you just stopped flirting with Davis maybe Kurt would like you-"
"What would you know? You go through, like, five girls a week. Face it, Mitchell. You'll never know true love."
(And he can pretend it doesn't hurt but it does, doesn't it? Hurts when he swipes his sister's concealer to cover up those tear tracks-)
.
"You're beautiful, Katrina. I love that Eyeliner. It brings out the turquoise in your eyes so perfectly!"
"Really?"
(Did your father not tell you never to lie, Piper? There is no turquoise in Katrina's eyes. She looks terrible.)
"Don't worry, Stacy. You're not fat. I mean, models are all photoshopped-it's true beauty that matters."
"I guess…"
(You can't photoshop perfection, Pipes. Stacy-it's not you that's fat. It's that awful gaudy dress.)
"I'm sure Daniel will like you anyway, heels or none. Don't they hurt? Here, Lacy, why don't you borrow these sandals?"
"Thanks!"
(You're only kidding yourself; Daniel couldn't care less only 'cause he's kissing that other Hecate girl. And those shoes hurt your feet more than heels.)
"You're a bombshell! Really, Ana. You look gorgeous in that blouse-and your hair! I wish I could get mine to be so sleek and straight.)
"Really? You just take the straightener, see…"
(You're still lying, Dumpster Queen. That blouse is too low in the cleavage and Ana has a round face-curls would bring out her cheekbones better.)
"Why are you doing this, Drew? They're pretty-each and every one of them, all on the inside. You're all beauty. You're hurting them!"
"Because they need it."
(Because I don't lie-because I tell the whole truth and nothing but. You, Piper-you tell lies. Because lying, in the end, hurts them more than my truth. You'll learn that. Now where's my fake compliment?)
.
She'd tell you if she was lying-Lacy's hair does look like a rat's nest. She'd tell you if your mascara was smudged; if your eyeliner streaked across your chin. She'd list all your imperfections-all while reminded of her own.
She'd gossip about your flaws; tell the whole world about the webbing cracks that line your skin. She'd smile and laugh and point a perfectly manicured finger; let you take the spotlight. She'd dash cream across her skin-concealing those identical charcoal scars.
Drew Tanaka was a hypocrite-one that could not bear to look herself in the eye.
.
She'd smile if your boyfriend broke up with you. She'd skip and drive you insane; just because she could-just because she was Aphrodite's child and could get away with it like no one else could. She'd laugh and pretend nothing was wrong.
You say something; she waves it off. Perfect pale hands curl one lock of ebony and wave at that newcomer; you watch as he is drawn in. She doesn't know what she's doing-and knows all the same. She's using her beauty-abusing it.
Lacy knows she's beautiful. But oh, what she wouldn't give to hear someone else say it back.
.
She's the lip gloss smile that people call fake behind her back. She's all smiles and no reality, and so cold you know she doesn't like you. She's the one to tell you you're not good enough, never good enough for the queen. She's fire and ice and the magnet that draws you in but repels at the last moment. She's beautiful.
She's the one that locks herself up at night and pulls out that tape measure, slowly and hopes no one hears the click. Hopes no one hears the flush of the toilet as dinner comes up, hopes people only see that she's thin and beautiful. Measure measure-even a half centimeter is something. She's got to be that perfect idol; it's worth the bitter aftertaste.
Taylor Mayson was a perfectionist-nothing about her was ever good enough.
.
She's the nice girl-the only Aphrodite camper that you actually like. She'll give you advice for your boyfriend and reassure you that you're pretty-that you're beautiful and it's what's on the inside that matters. She won't tell you that your crush is dating if it will make you feel better-she's the nice one.
The Perfect One also won't tell you that she spends hours training to prove that she's useful. That she looks at her siblings and wishes she could look as happy and carefree as them; that she knows her own boyfriend doesn't appreciate her enough but is too scared to let go. That she's scared, scared of being alone more than any other phobia she could possibly have.
Piper McLean wants to wanted, wants to be needed. Aphrodite doesn't fit with any of those.
.
We are the Aphrodite-we draw you in and spit you out.
We are the Aphrodite-we're beautiful and deadly and all too perfect.
We are the Aphrodite-we hypnotize you and bend your will.
We are the Aphrodite-the beauty you see isn't the kind we treasure.
1998
"Daddy, what's that word?"
"I don't know, Lacy. Go back to your schoolwork."
"But-"
She never does learn what 'Perfection' really means.
2000
"Mitchell likes pink! Mitchell likes pink! Mitchell likes pink!"
"What's wrong with it?"
"It's a girl color, duh. Are you secretly a girl? Are you gonna grow boobs?"
They find it hilarious. He doesn't see the humor.
2002
"It's a hundred forty four, Drew, how dumb can you get! I thought Asians were supposed to be smart."
"I am smart!"
"Right. Smart. So that's why you didn't know how to do six times twenty two?"
Drew's not smart like the rest; beauty gets her nowhere.
2004
"You look just like your bitch of a mother! She left, Diana, you hear me? She left because you were a whiny brat-I can't believe I ever adopted you."
"Dad, please, put down the bottle-"
"Shut the hell up, you ugly little shit!"
Diana never learns that she's beautiful.
2006
"Make it a kiss and we'll settle it, Megan. Those hips of yours are damn sexy-come on, pucker up for me!"
"GET AWAY FROM ME, YOU BASTARD!"
"They don't care, Megs. It's just you and me."
They don't care about her. It's not her fault she's gorgeous.
2008
"It's the rite of passage, Silena. Don't tell me you've actually fallen for Charles? He's a son of Hephaestus, for gods sakes!"
"Taryn...I don't know. He's so nice…"
"Just do it, Silena. Now could you move? You're blocking my nail polish."
She never breaks his heart; love shuns her.
.
Beautiful faces and
Beautiful lies
Take and use to
Toss away
.
They're Aphrodite's-beautiful. Nothing but.
If only you could see those tears behind dark painted lashes.
A/N: So. Another drabble oneshot-thanks for reading! I do not own PJO.